Thursday, August 18, 2011

How many emails do you send in a day? 5? 15? 50? Couple that with the different people you are communicating with and all of this can make for some difficulty when composing an email. Here, we will focus on emails that are in the more professional realm.

There are a few key things to keep in mind.First, your audience; what is appropriate for a friendly email exchange with your co-worker isn’t going to work in an email to your boss. Second, your message; be concise and pleasant when sending any sort of professional email.Third, the little things; remember that your word choice, spelling, and grammar/punctuation are important.Word choice affects how the recipient of your email will perceive the tone of your email.Try to stay in the professional/friendly/effective spectrum.Misspelled words are a no-no at all times.Most email programs will have a spellcheck function… make sure you use it! Lastly, proper grammar and punctuation indicate that you took more than 5 seconds to compose your message.

The basic formula for an email is below:

1. Appropriate Introductory Greeting: (Hello ____, or Dear _____)

2. Identify yourself, your title, what you do (if relevant), and your place of work

3. Mention the person who referred you to this person if you do not know them already (ex. My supervisor, Joe Shmo, referred me to you…)

4. Clearly state what information you need

5. Give the person a deadline that is realistic and in line with your own personal project timelines

6. Offer to provide more information in a follow up email or by phone and state your contact information

About Me

The Career Center at Stony Brook University exists to EDUCATE students about the career development process and industry options by empowering them to make informed career decisions.
PREPARE students for experiential learning (i.e. internships and community service), employment and further education.
CONNECT hiring organizations with our diverse student talent.
OUR VISION for SBU students:
Students will view academic and career planning as intertwined, and take responsibility for their success by acquiring knowledge of self and of career options, gaining related experience and establishing professional networks, reflecting on experiences to shape their next steps, and committing to ongoing career development and professional growth.